The Mermaid's Curse
by Kristen257
Summary: Hermione is hit with the Mermaid's Curse and is forced to return to the water every night. She must marry to lift the curse or lose her magic and become a mermaid forever. I've shortened the title from Hermione Granger and the Mermaid's Curse.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Hermione Granger and the Mermaid's Curse 1/?  
  
Author: Kristen  
  
Email:  
  
Website:  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter characters or anything else mentioned in the books. They belong to J.K. Rowling. Only this plot belongs to me.  
  
Rating: PG-13, maybe R-ish later  
  
Pairing: Undecided, let me know your vote. Ways to vote are listed under feedback.  
  
Spoilers: All the way up to Book 5, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, it's all au after that point.  
  
Summary: Hermione is hit with the Mermaid's Curse and is forced to return to the water every night. She must marry to lift the curse or lose her magic and become a mermaid forever.  
  
AN: Feedback is much appreciated. Please tell me what you think and any pairings you'd like to see. I couldn't decide on one myself so I'm posting a couple parts and asking your opinion. I'll probably use whatever has the most votes, except Harry/Hermione. No amount of persuasion can convince me to write that ship. You get to decide what you'll see, so be sure to let me know in an email or a review depending on where you're reading this. Or, you can vote in the poll at  
  
Since I can't seem to help myself this time, this fic will be quite angsty at times. Never fear though, I live for happy endings.  
  
Part 1  
  
"I'm sorry, Miss Granger." Madame Pomfrey looked worn and unhappy as she delivered the news. "There's nothing I can do."  
  
"Unfortunately," Dumbledore interrupted sadly, "The curse Mr. Malfoy used is ancient. It hasn't been used much since ancient Greece and the counter- curse has slipped out of the realm of knowledge. He surely knew it, but the death of Lucius has put any possible answers beyond our reach."  
  
Dumbledore looked just as worn and sad from the events of the war as Madame Pomfrey. Though Harry had finally triumphed over Voldemort this summer after their 6th year had ended the end had not come easy. Dumbledore had always been old but he had radiated an air of energy and youthful enthusiasm that belied his age. Events had worn away that aura, especially those that happened in their 5th year, and Dumbledore appeared to have aged 50 years in the span of two.  
  
"There have been a few known incidents, of course," Dumbledore continued. "The most recent occurred in the late 1800's. However, all research shows that the only witches who escaped the curse's fate did so in the manner the curse demanded." Dumbledore sighed heavily. "I'm afraid your only option at present is to marry."  
  
Hermione's heart sank at the news. She had been afraid of that. Since the moment Hermione had woken in the infirmary she had spent every spare ounce of energy she had in looking for a solution. She had gone through nearly every book in Hogwarts' library with Ron and Ginny's occasional help and gone to dozens of bookshops searching for answers. Dumbledore had been questioning contacts and searching through his own extensive library on her behalf while Pomfrey had tried every spell and counter-curse she knew. It was dismaying to find out that all their efforts hadn't been enough.  
  
At first Hermione hadn't even been sure what they were looking for. However, knowing Lucius Malfoy, whatever he had hit her with wasn't a good luck charm. It wasn't until she had begun suffocating and Madame Pomfrey realized she needed to be in water that the truth had become clear. Ron had been with her in the infirmary at the time of the "attack." Before Pomfrey had finished shouting her instructions Ron had been running to the lake with a blue Hermione in his arms, gasping for air.  
  
Ron had thundered his way into the water, going as deep as he could and still remain standing with his head above water. The second Hermione had touched the water the constriction around her lungs had eased. A few minutes later she had left Ron's trembling arms and transformed into a mermaid for the first time.  
  
She had stayed in the water for hours trying to out swim the image of Ron's shocked and horrified face. She had emerged from the lake that night to be greeted by Dumbledore's steady assurance that they would do all that they could to help her.  
  
For now, Hermione was only forced to return to the water and her mermaid form for an hour each day. She could then emerge from the water in her human form after doing so. When that happened her fins transformed themselves into along, flowing skirt. It was pearlescent in appearance and the play of light on the skirt made it seem pink, purple, blue, gold, or green at times. Since her first transformation Hermione had learned that she had to keep track of it at all times. Without it, she couldn't return to the water and could suffocate to death. She compromised by wearing it all times under her robes. It wouldn't exactly meet the school uniform requirements, but exceptions would have to be made. She planned to charm it the appropriate colors when classes started again, but for now she left it alone. When she returned to the water every night the skirt wrapped itself skin tight around her and became fins. It was so disorienting and illogical when she thought a bout it. Which she did. Often. Skirts should not become fins; fins should not become skirts. It was like something out of the Quibbler for Pete's sake.  
  
"Miss Granger?" Madame Pomfrey was staring worriedly at her. "Are you alright?"  
  
Hermione winced. No she was NOT all right. With that kind of news how could she be? But Madame Pomfrey didn't deserve her sarcasm so she worked up a smile for the nurse. "I'm fine."  
  
They didn't believe her, but they didn't press her on it either. "Thank you Professor Dumbledore, Madame Pomfrey, for all you've done." She looked at each of them in turn. "I appreciate it." That was as far as she could go though. Suddenly she wanted out. Out of this room, and out of this castle, away from the sympathetic glance of Dumbledore and the poorly disguised pity of Madame Pomfrey. She stood up abruptly. "I'm going for a walk." She strode hurriedly out of the office, nearly running in her haste to leave.  
  
"Headmaster!" Pomfrey protested as Hermione walked out the door.  
  
Dumbledore laid a restraining hand on her arm. "Leave her be, Poppy," he gently ordered her.  
  
Hermione didn't hear. She was determined to get as far away as she could right away. Things could be worse; she knew they could. So many of her fellow classmates were dead, Ginny would forever walk with a limp, and Harry was lying unconscious in the infirmary in a deep magical coma he couldn't be brought out of. She would have to go there later she reminded herself. Ron was sitting with Harry waiting for her news. None of them had left Harry alone for a moment once they were able to visit.  
  
So she knew that things could be worse for her. She knew that, but right now she wanted to deal with her news alone. She wanted to cry and scream over it before she went back to worrying about others. She ran around the far side of the lake until she reached the Forbidden Forest where she wouldn't be seen in the shadows. In a fit of defiance, she ripped off her skirt and waded into the lake in just her underthings. She wasn't a mermaid and she wouldn't give in. She was a witch, not a mermaid, and one of the smartest witches in her class. She wouldn't give Malfoy the satisfaction of ruining her life.  
  
She began swimming as hard as she could, trying to drain out all her worries and the depressing news. Dumbledore's words rang in her head. If Hermione didn't marry she would slowly start losing her magical ability. The more she lost the more often she would need to be in her mermaid form, until one day she lost all her magic and became a mermaid forever.  
  
It was a bitter pill to swallow.  
  
Hermione had prided herself, even depended, on her talent for magic since she had come to Hogwarts six years ago. In the lifespan of a witch that wasn't that long, but Hermione felt like she had been a witch forever. She was quite used to using her magic and her intellect to take care of almost any situation, and it was so frustrating to not be able to use her abilities to solve this one. It was like she was back in third year facing the boggart who turned into McGonagall and informed her she failed all her classes. She would have to use what Ron would call her feminine wiles in order to get out of this situation. If you were to ask Lavender or Parvati they would say she had none.  
  
She was doomed. She didn't want to imagine losing her magic. She didn't want to become someone who didn't belong to wizarding society anymore, unable to walk and live among them, separated from everything and everyone she had grown attached to since learning she was a witch. The image of it happening rose up in her mind's eye and she swam harder.  
  
Forced to marry. The words kept echoing in her ears. Just like any of the other girls in her class Hermione had wanted to fall in love and marry. When she imagined being married it was nothing like this twisted mockery. Unbidden, thoughts of Ron and red-haired children danced across her mind.  
  
Forced to marry. Forced to bind herself to someone before she was ready. She hadn't even started her seventh year yet! It was too soon. The battle had only ended a month ago. She should have more time. She needed more time!  
  
But, there wouldn't be. Hermione didn't have the luxury of time to choose whom to marry and when. She needed to get married and soon. She needed to find someone willing to marry her. That was part of the curse; they had to be willing. And the other part... well, she wouldn't think about that yet. Instead of marrying for the reasons she always imagined, whoever married her would do it to save her from a curse. She couldn't even have a marriage of convenience for a few days, she thought angrily. No, they had to stay married or Hermione would fall back under the effects of the curse permanently.  
  
And so would her husband.  
  
End Part 1 


	2. Part 2

**Author**: Kristen

**Title:** Hermione Granger and the Mermaid's Curse 2/?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in the Harry Potter books. Those all belong to J.K. Rowling. May she finish book 6 soon. No infringement is intended and no profit is being made. Only this plot belongs to me.

**Rating:** PG-13, maybe R-ish for swearing in this part.

**Pairing:** Undecided still. You can still get your vote in. Ways to do this are listed under feedback.

**Spoilers:** All the way up to Book 5, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix but there won't be heavy mentions of it. It's all AU after that point.

**Summary:** Hermione is hit with the Mermaid's Curse and is forced to return to the water every night. She must marry to lift the curse or lose her magic and become a mermaid forever.

**Feedback:** Is much appreciated. Please tell me what you think of it and what pairing you'd like to see. I couldn't decide on one myself, (just ignore my Ron/Hermione leanings for now, it's part of the story but no guarantee of a pairing) so make your opinion count and tell me what you'd like to see. I'll only go by the responses I get so be sure you say something! Please no H/H though; I can't stand the thought of them together since I'm a Harry/Ginny shipper. Other than that, feedback is so helpful in my writing so I'd appreciate your comments.

**AN:** As noted before this story will be quite angsty at points before we get to the happy ending and this is one of them.

Part 2 

Hermione managed to avoid discussing the outcome of all the searching on her behalf for a couple days. When she had gone to the infirmary the first night she put Ron off claiming she'd tell him tomorrow in private. Ron glanced around at the full beds and reluctantly agreed.

Hermione was not looking forward to telling Ron. His reaction wasn't going to be pleasant. If she knew Ron (and she did quite well after all they'd been through) his reaction was going to be loud, involve lots of cursing, and probably threats of violence. It was probably a good thing Lucius Malfoy was already dead or she'd be visiting Ron in Azkaban for the rest of his life.

She managed to keep busy the next few days visiting friends in St. Mungo's, or the Hogwarts Infirmary, and helping the other students and adults who had volunteered to rebuild Hogwarts where the final battle between Harry and Voldemort had taken place. She knew the day was coming when Ron wouldn't be put off any longer.

It happened in the Weasley's kitchen four days after her meeting with Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey.

Now that it was safe to stay at The Burrow Molly wanted to gather all her family together for one day. It wasn't easy. Arthur, Bill, and Percy were busy at the Ministry working to ensure that captured Death Eaters remained imprisoned. Nearly all of them were claiming the influence of the Imperius curse. Percy had been revealed to be a spy for Dumbledore in the Ministry not too long before the final battle. Since the news came out the Weasleys had been carefully trying to rebuild their relationships with Percy. This was a big milestone for them and Percy would be coming by with Bill and Arthur later.

The twins were already there and so were Ginny and Ron. As an honorary Weasley, Hermione had been staying there since Pomfrey had released her from the infirmary and flooing in to Hogsmeade when she needed to go to Hogwarts.

Charlie was in a bedroom upstairs still recovering from his injuries. He kept insisting he was fine until Mrs. Weasley threatened to chain him to the bed and lose the key so he would rest. He had admitted defeat and gone up to bed, but Hermione would bet he wasn't really sleeping. She had heard a faint crack of someone disapparating a while ago and she doubted Molly would find him in his room when she came back from Diagon Alley if she were to check. He'd better return before that happened or he'd wish he'd died in the final battle.

Harry was the only one who wouldn't be there that day. Hermione was hit with another pang of worry. He was still lying in a coma at Hogwarts. She wished he would wake up. Their family wouldn't be complete without him.

Pomfrey had chased her and the two youngest Weasleys out of the Infirmary that morning demanding they take some time to rest and relax. She had pointed a stern finger at the door stating that their visiting privileges were revoked until they did.

So Hermione had been doing her diligent best to avoid being alone with Ron. She just knew he was going to be upset when she told him what happened so she was putting it off as long as she could. She knew what she hoped he'd say afterward but she couldn't help remembering their forth year and the Yule Ball when he had waited until the last minute to ask her. Or, the way he acted around other girls. He never looked at her the way she wanted him to, or said the things she wanted to hear. If he did love her, surely he'd have done something about it by now?

So Hermione was in the kitchen munching half-heartedly at an apple and staring at a copy of Ancient Curses without really reading it when Ron stepped back inside for a break in a game of Quidditch with Ginny and the twins.

Noticing she was alone in the kitchen and aware that his siblings wouldn't be in for a bit Ron saw his opportunity. He marched toward her with a determined expression. "All right Hermione, what did they say?"

With a look of innocent confusion pasted on her face she asked, "What did who say?"

His eyes narrowed. "You know very well who and what I'm talking about," he shot back, irritated. "You're not going to put off telling me any longer. You're my best friend and I'm not leaving you alone until you tell me what's going on."

She dropped the look. He had to find out some time. It might as well be from her. So she decided to tell him everything, everything about the curse and the only way to escape it. He'd find out eventually; her friends always did.

So she looked him straight in the eye and said, "I was hit with the Mermaid's Curse."

"The _what_?" Ron echoed.

She winced. _Oh, this was hard._ "The Mermaid Curse," she repeated. "Basically, cursed to be a mermaid though there's a bit more to it than that."

"How much more?" Ron asked warily, worried for his friend. _That can't have been the end of it,_ he thought. _Not if Lucius Malfoy was the one doing the cursing._

Hermione sighed. "Well there are... stipulations," She said hesitantly and glanced down at the table.

"What kind of stipulations?" Ron asked slowly. _Why is she dragging this out? I wish she'd hurry up and get the worst of it out._

"Well for one, unless I find a way to avoid the curse I'll need to be a mermaid more and more often. The longer I need to be in my mermaid form the more of my magic I'll lose. Eventually, without a way to break the curse I'll lose all of my magic and be a mermaid forever." she said despairingly. She looked back at him and braced herself for the hard part. "Unfortunately, the curse demands that the only way to avoid the curse is to... marry," she finished.

"_The only cure is to get married?"_ Ron yelled loudly.

Hermione sighed. She had expected that. She hoped that the twins and Ginny couldn't hear him. They'd find out soon enough but she'd rather not have that moment be now.

"What the hell kind of bullshit is this?" Ron raged. "What the fuck was he trying to pull? That can't be right. Are you sure that's what it says, Hermione?" He put his hands on the table and leaned forward. "Are you absolutely sure that's what this curse demands?"

"Yes Ron, I'm sure. We researched it, Ron. We really did! We exhausted every resource. I read every book I could find, Poppy questioned every colleague and tried everything she knew, Dumbledore went through every contact he had. It's an ancient curse, Ron. It's a miracle we found as much information as we did."

"And how much is that, Mione? What else do you know?" Ron asked a bit frantically.

"Well it's an ancient Greek curse, the last known victim was-"

"Skip past the history and tell me about the curse. Is marriage the _only_ way to break it?"

"Yes," Hermione nodded. "But..."

Ron straightened up, relieved. "Great! We'll just get you married for a day or two and then dissolve the marriage. Problem solved."

"I'm afraid not, Ron. "Hermione shook her head sadly. "The groom has to be willing-"

"That's really not a problem, Hermione," Ron interrupted. "I'll do it. Even Harry would if he were awake."

"-Because we have to stay married or else I'll turn back into a mermaid forever, and so will my husband," Hermione continued.

"What?" Ron dropped into a chair in shock. "Tell me you're kidding, Hermione."

"No, I'm not," she denied with tears gathering in her eyes. "And Ron," she said hesitantly.

Ron swallowed audibly. "Yes, Hermione?"

She added the one thing she hadn't mentioned yet; the one thing she didn't want to think about. "It has to be a pureblood."

Ginny and the twins, who had just entered the kitchen, stopped dead in their tracks. Ron was cursing. That wasn't surprising, they had often heard him do so before. Ron's language wasn't the cleanest by any means. But this time, he was cursing in a fluid never ending stream-linking words they never imagined could be considered curse words. It seemed to go on forever. They turned to the only other occupant of the room in shock. Hermione usually jumped in before now in an effort to keep Ron's language acceptable. She wasn't this time, however. No, this time Hermione was sitting in her chair looking dangerously near tears and nodding occasionally at Ron's words of agreement. Every now and then she offered a curse in synchronization with Ron.

Ginny and the twins shared somber looks. They immediately knew what Ron and Hermione had been talking about. Though no ever discussed it, they knew why Hermione snuck off to a nearby river every night.

After awhile the stream of cursing eventually died down. A tense silence descended over the kitchen as Ron stared in despair at Hermione and she stared back in a state of hesitant expectation. You could see the words echoed on both their faces. _What are we going to do?_ Finally Ron said woodenly. "Married. You've got to get married. To a pureblood. For the rest of your life."

Hermione nodded shakily in response even though Ron really hadn't been asking a question.

Ron looked like he wanted to curse again but settled for turning and throwing his fist through a wall with a sickening crunch. The trio of siblings still standing by the kitchen door jumped in surprise, both at Ron's actions and his words. None of them had known much about what happened to Hermione beyond the transformation she made every night. Ginny felt near tears herself for Hermione and Fred and George looked sympathetic.

Hermione got up from the table and reached for Ron's hand to take a look. He pulled it away, unwilling to let go of his injury. He couldn't pound in Malfoy's face so the wall would do. Hermione was just as stubborn as Ron and glared at him until he held out his hand for her to look at. "Oh Ron..." Hermione trailed off.

His hand was bloody and broken in three places. She pulled out her wand and set about fixing the damage. She finished a few minutes later and held her wand in her hands trying not to cry. _Damn Lucius Malfoy for messing up their lives like this._ The curse's effects hadn't stopped at Hermione. No, It was still spreading pain and destruction.

A deep hatred and anger settled within her heart for Lucius Malfoy. If she could have at that moment, she very well might have brought him back to life for a satisfyingly long torture session. She was sure he was in hell at the moment, but right now hell was nothing compared to the way she was feeling.

Ginny (who had a feeling this wouldn't end well knowing Ron) stared at Hermione with mixed emotions. The twins fixed their gaze on Ron willing him not to blow it. Minutes stretched by until Fred couldn't take it any longer and said with an air of helping someone remember their lines, "So Ron, when's the wedding?" He brought his hands together and rubbed them as he looked from Ron to Hermione and back again.

George also looked expectantly at them and said, "Best get down on your knees Ron and do this properly."

Beside them, Ginny closed her eyes in despair. "Oh no," she murmured under her breath. "Trust the twins to say the wrong thing."

Fred and George were the only ones to hear her and each shot her wounded and insulted looks, respectively.

Ginny desperately wished she could snatch back the twins's words back unheard, but it was too late.

"Wedding? Wedding?" Ron repeated wildly. His eyes shot panic-stricken around the room while he fidgeted. His gaze finally landed back on Hermione and he nearly shouted, "There will be no wedding!" before rushing out of the kitchen. Distantly, they heard his door slam.

Fred groaned, George slammed his hand to his forehead and winced in pain, and Ginny clenched her fists as she muttered angrily, "Idiot!" As one their gazes shot to Hermione, whose face was streaked with the beginnings of tears before she raced past them outside in a hurry.

Ginny turned to Fred and George. "You two take care of the imbecile, I'll go after Hermione."

The trio exchanged nods before scattering on their missions.

Upstairs, Fred and George apparated directly inside Ron's room after he ignored their demands to open the door.

Ron greeted them from the bed with a pillow over his head an aggravated, "Bloody hell."

George started the interrogation before he could escape. "What were you thinking?"

"You've been in love with Hermione for years," Fred chimed in.

Ron threw off his pillow, got off his bed, and began to pace. "I know that. I know that," He repeated quietly. He ran a hand through his hair. The length surprised him and he tried to remember the last time he had it cut. Mom was going to start yelling at him to cut it soon. Well, after she yelled at him for this at least. "I've been waiting forever for her to look at me and feel the same way."

"All right then." Fred nodded. "That's settled."

"Now why won't you marry her then?" George asked.

Ron's irritation erupted, "For the same bloody reason!" He roared. _"I want her to marry me for me, for how she feels about me; because she can't imagine a life without me just like I can't imagine one without her._ Not because _some bloody fucking curse_ is forcing her to do it!" Ron clenched his fists as angry sparks hit from his eyes.

"It should be _her_ choice! Instead she's being forced to link her life with someone just so she can keep being who she is. Tell me that that's fair! Tell me that's what she deserves! Tell me she'll be ecstatic to be in a marriage with those beginnings. _Tell me!_" He finished.

Fed and George exchanged worried looks. This was going to be a lot harder than just knocking some sense into him.

"Hermione wait!" Ginny put on a burst of speed to catch up with her, ignoring the pain in her leg.

Hermione finally stopped when she realized Ginny wasn't giving up. It was just as well. Being blinded by her tears she had just as much chance of running into a tree as she did being caught by Ginny.

"Don't," she said shakily. "I don't want to hear it." She kept her face turned away from Ginny but she could still feel her concerned stare. "He had a perfect right to say what he did. There was never an us and," she drew in an uneven breath, "and marriage is a big step. It's too far to expect someone to go for just a friend. Especially not with the conditions of the curse, he'd have to stay married to me for the rest of his life or be cursed too. What happens if he falls in love with someone? Anyone would feel a little trapped by that."

Ginny rested her weight on her other leg with a wince then snorted in disbelief. "And you won't? Even if that were true, and there's no way I believe you're just friends, he still isn't in the right for reacting the way he did." She reached out a sympathetic hand to Hermione and laid it on her shoulder. "Ron's a prat."

Hermione smiled faintly at that and brushed the tears off her face. She started searching for a handkerchief and gratefully accepted the one Ginny offered when she couldn't find her own.

Encouraged, Ginny went on. "You just ignore him. Don't let this devastate you. If he doesn't know how to grab onto a good thing, well then it's his loss. There are a lot of people who will stand by you. We're not going to let this curse beat you. We'll figure something out. Okay?"

Hermione nodded. She had to believe that things would work out. The alternatives were just too horrible to think about.

End Part 2 

Don't forget to vote! This will probably be your last chance to do so. When I post the next chapter, and I don't know when that will be, I'll announce the pairing. You can also join my group for updates and vote in the polls there. The address is in my profile. Please send in your pairing preference and don't forget to leave me some feedback as well by email, a review, or at my group. I'm not picky where you leave it, just as long as you leave some. :)


	3. Part 3

**Author**: **Kristen**

**Title:** **Hermione Granger and the Mermaid's Curse 3?**

**Website: http:magical-worlds.us/scribblings/**

******Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in the Harry Potter books. Those all belong to J.K. Rowling. No infringement is intended and no profit is being made. Only this plot belongs to me.

******Rating:** R overall

******Pairing:** Ron/Hermione. I might include Harry/Ginny later.

******Spoilers:** All the way up to Book 5, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix but there won't be heavy mentions of it. It's all AU after that point.

******Summary:** Hermione is hit with the Mermaid's Curse and is forced to return to the water every night. She must marry to lift the curse or lose her magic and become a mermaid forever.

******Feedback:** Is much appreciated. Please tell me what you think of this. Feedback is so helpful in my writing so I'd appreciate your comments.

**AN: Big apologies for the lengthy time between updates. I had this part half finished for quite awhile but was blocked and couldn't finish the rest of it. I was also besieged with real life issues. In the end I ended up scrapping what I had already written completely and starting over. This is the result. I hope you like it.**

**And I've counted all the votes, and Ron was the winner with the most votes. Draco came in second as the most popular choice with George in third. If anyone's interested in the totals of all the votes and who was suggested let me know and I'll post the info with the next chapter.  
**

**Part 3 **

**This was not the way things were supposed to go. Harry was supposed to wake up from his coma and help everyone rebuild Hogwarts. Then they would start their seventh year and really enjoy their last year together. After that, she would get a job at the ministry, Ron would play professional Quidditch, and Harry would be an Auror.**

**She wasn't even supposed to contemplate getting married for several years yet. Now, the possibility of marriage was an inevitability, and before she'd even finished at Hogwarts no less! What was she going to do? Years in a forced and unhappy marriage stretched endlessly forward in her mind's eye.**

**And what if she couldn't get someone to agree to marry her? Ron, her best friend wouldn't even do it. How could she convince anyone that she wasn't even as close with to marry her under these circumstances? It was hopeless. The thought of being unable to perform magic and stuck in that damned mermaid's body made her ill.**

**Hermione had never been prone to panic attacks before, but the way her stomach pitched and rolled while her chest tightened whenever she thought of being stuck as a mermaid convinced her the possibility of succumbing to a panic attack wasn't far off.**

**She wished Harry were here. Things were uncomfortable now between her and Ron. She wanted Harry here to act as a buffer. She was afraid this whole situation might have done some permanent damage to her friendship with Ron. He hadn't looked her in the eye once all during dinner.**

**Ginny had sent encouraging smiles her way, but it hadn't made up for the loss of Ron. A loss she felt keenly. The twins had been excessively boisterous and filled with pranks. She knew they were doing it to distract everyone else from noticing the sure signs that something was wrong between her and Ron. The evidence was obvious, since Hermione noticed their outrageous behavior occurred every time Mrs. Weasley was about to question the tension between her and Ron. Fred had even been so bold as to wink at her when Molly wasn't looking. She knew Mrs. Weasley would find out everything eventually but for now she was grateful for the reprieve the twins seemed determined to offer her.**

**She didn't know what to do. Worry about the state of her friendship with Ron and her situation battled for supremacy in her mind. It was enough to drive her crazy. Things were going from bad to worse. This was supposed to be one of the happiest times of her life. It was her last year at Hogwarts. Voldemort was dead, the wizarding world could begin healing, and all sorts of opportunities were supposed to be open for her and her classmates after graduation.**

**Instead 7th year was looking to start later than expected. Part of it she would inevitably spend married to someone if she was lucky. Harry was still in a coma and it was uncertain whether he would ever wake let alone finish his seventh year. The longer he went without waking the more she worried. Voldemort was dead but that final confrontation between he and Harry there at the end had done something to her friend that she was afraid he would never recover from. Oh, why wouldn't he wake?**

**Then there were the problems this curse inevitably caused. The longer she had to spend as a mermaid the more time she wouldn't have to study and this was a NEWT year! That wasn't even taking into consideration the practical application of magic she would have to do in class. With her magical ability slowly being leached by this curse her grades were going to suffer seriously. It would all seriously effect how many opportunities were open to her after graduation. If she graduated… Would she even be able to perform magic for much longer?**

**Her stomach was in knots and she could feel a headache begin to throb behind her eyes. The same old thoughts, trod round and round the same old circle, with the same inevitable results. She set aside the book she hadn't been reading anyway, her thoughts had kept her from concentrating, and headed to the bathroom in search of a potion for the pain in her head.**

**Ginny looked up from the book she was reading on her bed as Hermione passed. "Hermione?" she asked, the question of, '_what are you doing?' _clearly in her eyes.**

**"Just getting a headache potion," Hermione answered tiredly.**

**At that, Ginny's eyes filled with sympathy and understanding. "Oh," Ginny said.**

**Hermione was glad when her friend didn't say any more. She didn't want to talk and she was tired of even thinking about her situation. Ginny returned to her book as Hermione left the bedroom they were sharing.**

**The door to Percy's old room where Charlie was staying as he recuperated was closed. Percy still lived at his apartment in London despite Molly's wishes for him to move back home. The twins' room remained empty. They had long ago moved out into apartments above their joke shop. Since then nobody had been brave enough to consider staying there, not trusting that the twins hadn't left behind some nasty surprises.**

**She supposed Harry might stay there when he woke up. If he woke up. There was no longer any need for Harry to return to the Dursleys. Then again, he would probably just room with Ron in the attic like he always did when he stayed with the Weasleys.**

**She entered the bathroom and the mirror greeted her with a sympathetic, "You look terrible, dear. Boy trouble?"**

**"No," Hermione firmly denied. "Just a headache," she added as she reached into the cupboard for the potion she needed.**

**"Whatever you say, dear," the mirror said suspiciously.**

**Great. Now even the mirrors were putting in their two cents on her situation.**

**Hermione cast a grumpy look at the mirror and quickly downed the potion.**

**"Well," the mirror sniffed. "There's no need to be rude about it."**

**Hermione ground her teeth and left the bathroom without a word. There was no way she would sink so low as to argue with the mirror like a crazy person.**

**Back in Ginny's room, Hermione readied herself for bed. She took off her tank top and transfigured her mermaid's skirt to change into a light nightgown in concession to the summer heat. She got into bed and let her head sink into her cool pillow with a sigh of relief. Within minutes she had slipped into slumber.**

**

* * *

The next morning Hermione dressed in an embroidered light blue sleeveless blouse and transfigured her nightgown back into her skirt. Since she was heading to the Hogwarts infirmary to visit Harry she charmed the skirt a rich blue color to go with her blouse. She managed to tame her wild hair somewhat by pulling the sides back and securing them with combs. She slipped her wand into a pocket she had transfigured for it on her skirt and she was ready.**

**Ginny was still sleeping, so Hermione quietly crept out of the room and made her way to the kitchen.**

**The kitchen was empty save for Charlie and the stack of pancakes in front of him he was steadily devouring. He nodded hello to Hermione since his mouth was occupied at the moment and motioned to the steaming dishes on the sideboard. After he swallowed he said, "Mum made enough breakfast for everybody before she left if you want some."**

**"Thanks," Hermione answered as she grabbed a plate and began to dish up. She passed on the pancakes and instead took some scrambled eggs and toast.**

**"Where is everyone?" She asked Charlie as she sat down.**

**"I haven't seen Ginny yet, so I assume she's still sleeping?" Charlie asked.**

**Hermione nodded in affirmation and Charlie continued with the rundown. "Dad went in early to work, Mum went to help out at Hogwarts, and Ron is outside clearing the gnomes out of the garden." He gestured out the kitchen door and leaning to the side Hermione could see him angrily flinging gnomes.**

**"Oh," Hermione said uncomfortably and looked down at her plate not wanting to think about just why Ron was in such a mood.**

**Thankfully, Charlie didn't seem inclined to press her for details of what was going on and they finished breakfast in an easy silence.**

**A little later Charlie slipped out to meet his girlfriend Tonks leaving Hermione to her breakfast. She finished quickly wanting to leave and avoid Ron before he came back in.**

**After she cleaned the dishes she had used with a quick scourgify spell, Hermione grabbed some floo powder and prepared to depart. She stepped into the fireplace and with a shouted, "Hogwarts!" she was gone.**

**

* * *

Hermione arrived in the large fireplace in Hogwarts's Great Hall. It was one of the first rooms to be rebuilt from the damage that had taken place and had become a central meeting place for those who were working on rebuilding the rest of Hogwarts. As such, it was a continually busy room that oversaw the coming and going of many wizards and witches as well as the planning and eating. When the house elves weren't busy lending their hands to repairing Hogwarts they were busy keeping the steady stream of people fed.**

**The fact that the house elves subjected themselves to such overwhelming amounts of work willingly and without pay still upset Hermione. It was one of the greater disappointments in her life that her efforts with S.P.E.W. seemed to be in vain. There wasn't much that she could do about it right now so with only a wince at the sight of the busy house elves Hermione left the Great Hall and headed for the infirmary.**

**The infirmary had actually made it through the attack on Hogwarts unscathed even if the way there wasn't completely undamaged. Hermione had to go through several detours before she actually reached the Hospital wing, passing industrious wizarding building crews along the way.**

**The infirmary held only those patients whose condition was so critical for one reason or another that they couldn't be moved still. All of the other patients who had survived the last battle had either been released as they recovered or moved to St. Mungo's.**

**Harry was one of a few patients still in the infirmary and under Madame Pomfrey's care. Hermione swiftly passed the beds where Katie Bell, Pansy Parkinson, Parvati Patil, Justin Fitch-Fletchley, and Draco Malfoy occupied. Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet were visiting Katie. Millicent was chatting quietly with Pansy while Lavender Brown was gossiping with Parvati. Hannah was occupying the chair next to Justin's bed and holding his hand as they talked. Hermione noted the curtains drawn around Draco's bed with relief. Even though he had switched loyalties and chosen to fight at their side against Voldemort she still wasn't eager to be in the same room with him after what his father had done to her. It was an entirely uncomfortable situation she was caught in and she wasn't particularly eager to talk with Malfoy about it. She knew she would have to eventually as Draco had been giving her guilty looks as if he blamed himself whenever their eyes met.**

**With an uncomfortable feeling Hermione passed the now empty bed she had occupied after the Battle until Madame Pomfrey had discovered what was wrong with her. The vivid memory of being strangled, unable to breathe the air that had previously been welcomed in her body as the curse's effects had first made themselves known, swept over Hermione. The memory of her body's betrayal forever tainted any pleasant associations with the hospital wing, if she had even had any to begin with. This was the place she had laid after being petrified by the basilisk. This was the place she had come to after the Polyjuice Potion disaster. This was the place she was forced to run crying to after being hit with a hex that grossly enlarged her teeth. And as she stopped at a bed at the far end of the wing, she silently noted that this was the place that currently held one of her best friends as he lay in a coma she despaired he would ever pull out of.**

**Hermione made her way to the chair beside the bed all the while sweeping her eyes over Harry's form, desperately searching for some sign that things were changing, that he was finally recovering.**

**There were none.**

**Her throat tightened at the dashing of the hopes she had raised despite knowing that it wasn't likely. Hermione desperately wanted her friend back and it hurt so much to see him lying there pale and unresponsive to the world around him. Hermione ran a hand over his forehead smoothing back the determined locks that lay messily over his forehead. The scar that had bled so freely, scaring Hermione even more after the battle was over by the amount of blood that covered his face and clothes, was finally fading slightly. No longer an angry red because of the connection he shared with Voldemort it now looked like nothing more than an unusual shaped scar.**

**He didn't react at all to the sensation of her hand on his head and Hermione's throat tightened. She let out a shaky sigh as she moved her hand to grip his unresponsive right hand in her own and gathered her shaky thoughts.**

**She knew from her reading of both Muggle and Magical coma cases that talking to the coma victim was important. So every time she came to visit him Hermione had determinedly carried on one-sided conversations with Harry hoping that her voice would reach him, would urge him to respond.**

**"Hi Harry, it's Hermione," she greeted his silent form. "I told Ron about the curse," she began the conversation. In an understatement she added, "He didn't take it well."**

**Harry was silent.**

**"I knew he wouldn't and if you were awake you'd probably have agreed with me." She squeezed his hand and whispered, "I wish you were awake, Harry."**

**Another shaky sigh emerged before she continued, "Fred, George, and Ginny came in on the end of our conversation and they foolishly asked Ron when the wedding would take place. Well, they being the twins, not Ginny. You and I both know she's a lot smarter than that."**

**Hermione laughed harshly in remembrance of Ron's reaction.**

**"Needless to say there isn't one. I won't lie and say I wasn't hoping for a different response," Hermione said to Harry's sleeping face. "But now I'd give up all hope for that if I could just have my friendship with him back the way it used to be."**

**She cast her eyes down to their clasped hands. "He's avoiding me. He hasn't looked me in the eyes once since he found out and I'm afraid I've lost him forever. I don't know what to do."**

**There were no comforting words from Harry and a tear slipped down her face to splash upon his hand clasped in her own. "I miss you Harry and I need you. Come back to us, please."**

**Hermione got out of the chair and leaned over his bed to lay a kiss on his cheek. She laid his hand back on the bed, turned, and left never seeing the frown on his face.**

******End Part 3**

****** If you would like to be guaranteed a reply to your review you can do one of three things.**

******1.) You can leave your email address in your review but you must space it out like this: name at wherever dot com If you don't do that your full email address won't show up. I learned this recently after I posted part 4 of Blood Ties then couldn't see anyone's addy in their reviews.**

******2.) Join my fanfic update list at http : groups. yahoo. com / group / scribblings of Kristen / (without the spaces)**

****** 3.) Fill out the review form at my website. All forms are on the same page as the stories at the bottom. My website is http : magical - worlds . com / scribblings / (without the spaces)**

******Now for replies to your reviews of chapter 1 & 2:**

******vj- Thanks! Though I probably didn't make it too clear I had Lucius Malfoy as the one who hit Hermione with the curse. Draco Malfoy will be in this fic but I'll try not to make him goody-goody since I believe in keeping my characters in character. He won't necessarily be evil but he won't be completely good either.**

******bb- Thanks I'm so glad you like it. I won't abandon this fic since I do have many plans for it.**

******Luke E.- Harry/Hermione? Though that is the ship I started reading HP fic with I've grown to very much dislike the idea of those two together. I can't quite see them together anymore. They just don't click or seem well-suited in my mind. To each their own I suppose. I'm glad you're giving this a try anyway:)**

******April-Yes, this will be a Ron/Hermione fic.**

******Medusa- I did count your vote and if you read the author's note you already know this will be a R/H fic.**

******KelseyRadcliffe- Thanks so much for your review. I'm glad you liked it. Most of your questions were answered in part 2 but if you need clarification on anything else just let me know.**

******nipendora tonks- Thanks for your review. I hope you like this part.**

******Maroca Weasley- I did consider your suggestions and though there weren't enough votes for them, I haven't given up on them. I may write a fic in the future with one of those pairings. I hope you'll stick with me despite the Ron/Hermione pairing. :) Read further for the response to your secind review.**

******fanastygirl721- No, no Harry and Hermione. I can't stand the ship anymore and I don't really see the two of them together. They just don't click for me. My muse is full of R/H ideas and I'm quite fond of the ship so it's lucky for me the voting swung in that direction. I hope you'll stay despite your misgivings on the ship.**

******TwinzGirlz- Um. May I asky why?**

******Lady Prongs- Thanks so much for your lovely feedback. George did end up with the third most votes and I really like that ship too. I haven't been able to find many fics with that ship myself though. I must be looking in all the wrong places. I do have an idea for a G/H fic brewing so it's highly I'll write one eventually.**

******L. Sage- Yeah is giving me all kinds of problems with not letting stuff show up or kicking me out when I try to upload something. It's getting to be a real hassle every time I have a new part waiting.**

******HogwartzBoizRHottiez- Thanks.**

******Heichelheim- Interesting ideas but I have definite plans for this fic along different lines. Ron and Hermione will be together in the end though. :)**

******Bianca- Prepare to adore the fic now that the pairing has been decided and will be R/H. :)**

******Maroca Weasley- (review for chapter 2 response) - I know there are lots of R/H fics already but I'm hoping to do something different and enjoyable with the ship in this fic. Thanks again for your review!**

******PleaseHurry- Thanks, and I'll do my best. :)**

******Aquarius- Thanks so much. I never had any intentions of abandoning this fic, just writer's block and real life issues.**

******Leslie- Unfortunately, no. But never fear! I'm kicking around ideas for a sequel to True Love and Secret Crushes so that you can get your Sirius fix there.**

******marylupin- Thanks for the review. I coouldn't tell if you were voting for Snape or Sirius since both their names begin with S. Or maybe you were voting for Seamus? In any case thanks for your vote and I hope you'll stick with me.**

******acdecnerd- Thanks!**

******Black'sluver-Unfortunately there weren't enough votes for George though I do have plans to write a fic with that ship sometime. I hope you'll keep reading anyway.**

******mizzsumone- Thanks for voting!**

******StarsHideFire- I'm sorry there weren't enough votes for a Draco pairing. However that issue will be addressed in this fic. Thanks for the review!**

******xrazystoritellre- Well since most of the votes swung in that direction there will be a R/H pairing. Thanks for your review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author**: Kristen

**Title:** Hermione Granger and the Mermaid's Curse 4?

**Email:** http/magical-worlds.us/scribblings/

******Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in the Harry Potter books. Those all belong to J.K. Rowling. No infringement is intended and no profit is being made. Only this plot belongs to me.

******Rating:** R overall

******Pairing:**Ron/Hermione. I might include Harry/Ginny later.

******Spoilers:** All the way up to Book 5, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix but there won't be heavy mentions of it. It's all AU after that point.

******Summary:**Hermione is hit with the Mermaid's Curse and is forced to return to the water every night. She must marry to lift the curse or lose her magic and become a mermaid forever.

******AN**: I know this is a rather short chapter but it felt right to end it where I did. I suppose this is more of an interlude really. And many, many thanks go to my beta Lin for greatly improving the quality of my writing. I hope you like it. Please read and review!

******Part 4**

**_Meanwhile at the Burrow…_**

Ron swung his arm and watched the gnome he had thrown fly a fair distance as it screeched angrily. He nodded in satisfaction. Misery loved company after all, and he had misery to spare.

He was so pissed off at this situation. It wasn't enough that Hermione had to face the effects of the curse. No, now she had to deal with his stupid reaction last night too. He could cheerfully kill the twins right now. If Fred hadn't assumed things and asked when the wedding would be, Ron would never have blown up at Hermione and hurt her so badly.

He knew he had hurt her deeply and the knowledge tore at him. He had never wanted to hurt Hermione. He loved her with everything in him and since the moment he had first realized it, he had done his best to protect her and take care of her. He had known he cared for her as something more than his best friend since fifth year. Before Voldemort's defeat, he had spun fantasies of confessing his feelings after Harry fulfilled the prophecy and freed them all. He had pictured romantic dates and how he would propose to Hermione a year later. He had imagined the ceremony and where they would live, the children they would have. He had wanted it all. If his dormitory mates could have read his mind they'd have ragged on him for weeks for having such mushy thoughts.

He angrily grabbed another gnome who swore at him for his punishing grip. "Get yer hands off me you filthy bastard!" the gnome growled.

Ron ignored its struggles and the rest of the curses that spewed from its mouth. The pain and the anger that twisted and seethed inside him found an outlet as he tossed the pest. It flew a fair distance and bounced a few times before skidding to a stop. It turned back to face Ron and angrily shook its fist at him before scurrying off.

Ron didn't care. He knew the gnome would be back eventually and he'd evict it once more. He had plenty of emotions to work through and tossing gnomes was more satisfying than talking to anyone about it, even if he could find anybody to listen. He knew Ginny sided with Hermione on this, so he couldn't talk to her about it. He really couldn't talk to Hermione, and his other best friend was unavailable for comment. Since he couldn't talk to the people he normally would about his problems, Ron would keep clearing out the garden and try to straighten things out in his head on his own.

The sound of rustling leaves drew his attention to another gnome who was attempting to hide. He bore down on it with grim eyes and tightly drawn lips. The gnome squeaked in fear and took off. He ignored his wand that could so easily stun the gnome and instead relied on his body to chase down the gnome and catch it.

A few minutes later he had gripped the gnome by its left foot and was swinging it over his head like a living mace. Once he judged that he had built up enough momentum, he let loose the gnome with an angry war cry. He didn't even notice where it landed, as he had already begun to scour the garden for another of its brethren to throw.

He worked at a steady pace while thoughts spun through his mind one after the other. Hermione needed to marry. He had refused to do so. He had badly hurt his best friend, the love of his life. He had made her cry. Hermione needed to marry. Hermione would marry someone else. She wouldn't marry him. It wasn't going to be him. Hermione would never be his wife. He screamed in pain at the last thought. He didn't care who heard him. It wasn't right. It wasn't right, damn it!

It shouldn't be this way. He fell to his knees in the garden and sobbed. His shoulders shook and he cried in great heaving sobs, emotion spilling out of him with all the force and power of a tidal wave. He couldn't bear it. He couldn't catch his breath at the thought of life without her in it. It was all so wrong.

He gradually became aware of strong arms that held him and the soothing words of comfort that poured from his brother Charlie's mouth. He sank into those arms and wept for all that had been lost, unaware of his sister who watched and wept with him, relieved that their brother had come home early.

_At the same time in Hogwarts' hospital wing…_

He was at peace. He knew that everyone was safe and that he had accomplished the terrible task fate had chosen for him. It was enough. Now all that consumed him was the rest he needed, the rest he deserved. He was finished with the role of hero he had been forced to play. He didn't want to return to the world that had demanded so much of him.

Harry was distracted from his thoughts when a voice intruded upon the haven he had built for himself.

"Hi Harry, it's Hermione." There was a pause while he digested the news that Hermione had come to visit him again. The sound of her voice reminded him of her situation. Despite his resolve to never go back to the waking world, he worried about her. "I told Ron about the curse," her voice said. "He didn't take it well."

Harry was not surprised.

"I knew he wouldn't, and if you were awake you'd probably have agreed with me." He felt Hermione squeeze his hand as she whispered, "I wish you were awake, Harry."

The twinge he felt in his heart, the urge to run and comfort his best friend, momentarily made him wish the same. The brief thought was forgotten as Hermione continued.

"Fred, George, and Ginny came in at the end of our conversation and they foolishly asked Ron when the wedding would take place. Well, 'they' meaning the twins, not Ginny. You and I both know she's a lot smarter than that."

Harry laughed. That was an understatement. He had enjoyed the quick and clever wit Ginny had displayed in the year that they had grown closer. There were so many things to admire about Ginny: her courage, her determination, and her amazing strength that had carried her through experiences that would have destroyed another person… and her understanding of him. Ginny seemed to know him better than he knew himself. Then there was her looks. His awareness of her as a girl had gradually snuck up on him until one day he had looked at her and been struck dumb by her beauty.

One of the few happy days he had enjoyed in the time leading up to the inevitable confrontation with Voldemort had been an especially tough and vicious match against Slytherin that had lasted hours until Harry had finally caught the snitch. When the team had landed on the pitch amidst the Gryffindor students' screams of unadulterated glee, Ginny had run up to him and thrown her arms around him, pressing her body close to him while she whooped in delight at their win.

Her hair had swung forward and blindsided him with the heavenly smell of gardenias. Her beautiful eyes had sparkled with a delight that was focused entirely on him, her lips had looked so soft and touchable, and her closeness had unmistakably informed him that while he wasn't looking she had developed a body that felt amazing pressed up against him. Even her freckles had charmed him with their cuteness. All he had been able to do was grin stupidly at her and hold her while his brain had stopped and his heart jolted uncomfortably in his chest.

Ginny had never noticed, assuming his shock was purely due to the catch he had made while flying in such an unorthodox position. A particularly nasty collision with Malfoy just seconds before the match was over had almost knocked him completely off his broom. Only his quick reflexes had allowed him to lock his knees around the broom, hanging upside down, and Harry had stayed in that position while his broom had zoomed off in the direction of its own choosing, which was straight toward the previously unseen snitch. Malfoy had been infuriated.

After that fateful moment Harry had been unable to look at Ginny without recalling the memory of her so close to him. He had been besieged by fantasies playing out in his dreams at night and in daydreams of her during classes. Luckily, whenever he had been caught daydreaming he had been able to pass off his preoccupation as concern for the coming confrontation with Voldemort.

While he was remembering all of this, Hermione had still been talking and he was jolted back to what was going on when she said, "He's avoiding me. He hasn't looked me in the eyes once since he found out about the curse, and I'm afraid I've lost him forever. I don't know what to do." He felt a tear splash down upon his sleeping body. Hermione only said one thing more before he felt her leave him. "I miss you, Harry, and I need you. Come back to us, please."

Disturbed by this news, Harry frowned.

******End Part 4**

**pippibabe: Thanks for your suggestion but ultimately this will be a Ron/Hermione fic. **

******lee74****: Thanks. Hope you enjoyed this chapter just as much**

******harryrulesmyworld****: Sorry for making you cry, but this story seems to be a great outlet for angst so I can't guarantee you won't cry again unfortunately.**

******xrazystoritellre****: Thanks for your feedback! Sorry to make you cry but I am pleased that the scene garnered the right reaction.**

******peacelove****: Thanks! I try not to do the same old plotlines in all of my stories, and while I do adore fluffy fics I'm continually trapped by the need for a plot in any fic I write.**

******TheaterLife09**** Thanks I'm glad you like it.**

******Yamile****: Kill Ron /stands protectively in front of Ron with weapons drawn/ I'm afraid I can't let you do that. I adore all of the Weasleys so losing Ron is just not acceptable. But, I'm glad you like the story. : )**

**Veronica: Thanks, I'm glad you like it **

**Bagheera: I like your screen name. Is that from the Jungle Book /tries to remember if the panther's name was spelled the same way/. Sorry about the suspense. I didn't mean to be cruel. Real life and health just get in the way, (although my health has really improved since I was anointed and prayed over by the church) I've also been working on my new baby, The Changing Destiny Website. I shall try not to do so again, but I won't make any promises for fear of angry readers beating down my door. : )**

******fredrocks****: Hi Heather, I don't have your email address but if you want to be notified of updates you can join my mailing list for it. There's a link in my profile. Updates to all of my stories, including the ones I'm not allowed to post here for various reasons, are sent to my mailing list first before they're posted anywhere else.**

******notlefmot****: Um… thanks for your rather short review.**

******PsychoHaired****: Hooked /rubs hands together and cackles evilly/ Ah my evil plan is working. Soon I shall ensnare all of my readers. Mwa ha ha! cough cough I mean, thanks for reviewing!**

**Angie: Thank you, I'm happy you like it.**

******PsychoHaired****: Thanks for the chocolates, I haven't tried them yet since I got back the final version of this chapter at the same time you sent your review. But I shall be sure I eat them when I sit down to write the next chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 5**

The distance between Ron and Hermione was uncomfortable. By now everyone in the Weasley household was aware of the breach between the two friends even if they weren't aware of the details.

Hermione's way of coping with emotional stress had always been to keep busy, too busy to dwell on how miserable she was. It wasn't always the best way to handle things, but she didn't know what else to do. So, she found ways to occupy her mind and energy in the meantime.

Hermione spent as much time as she could at Hogwarts helping with the restoration efforts, in the infirmary visiting Harry, or at home talking with her parents as there were a lot of blanks she needed to fill in and stories she needed to elaborate on. With the war over, she finally felt comfortable enough to tell her parents the full truth about what she had experienced. Of course, there were always some details she would keep to herself, but she tried to be as honest as she could. It was a relief to finally feel like she wasn't living two lives — the one she had in the Wizarding world and the Muggle life she had at home with her parents. They knew nothing of the reality of her life in the Wizarding world as she hadn't wanted them to worry… or worse, to pull her out of Hogwarts and the Wizarding world. She did all of that while she continued her research for a cure for Harry and herself, to keep her mind off the uncomfortable tension between herself and her red-haired best friend.

Due to both the Burrow's close proximity to water, and Ginny and Molly's encouragement, Hermione was still staying with the Weasleys. She was too exhausted to apparate between her parents' home and Hogwarts when she needed to transform, and it was difficult living in the Muggle world after everything she had been through with Ron and Harry. Given her recent situation with Ron, however, life at the Burrow for her was just as difficult.

Ginny had pointed out that Ron couldn't avoid talking to her forever if she was constantly underfoot in his home. Hopeful for a resolution with him, Hermione had agreed to stay and follow Ginny's advice.

Thus far she hadn't made much progress on fixing any of the problems in her life but the restoration at Hogwarts. But she was confident that she would in the end. She hadn't come up against many problems she couldn't solve yet. Though she might feel despondent at times over the damage the curse had caused, Hermione was far from ready to give up and accept that there was no cure other than for her to marry.

Much to her frustration, every time Ron saw Hermione he ducked out of the room with a flimsy excuse or Disapparated away. After the sixth time in as many days of Ron avoiding her, Hermione stopped approaching him. She decided to figure out another route of attack. He would figure out that he couldn't out-stubborn her eventually.

Hermione didn't want to lose one of her best friends. A life without Ron, and Harry too while he still lingered unconscious at Hogwarts infirmary, felt like no life at all. She felt as if she had lost vital pieces of herself. It was hard going from the life she lived everyday with two people who knew her better than her parents did, to the isolation she faced now. Ginny was a good friend, but their relationship lacked the same bond Hermione shared with Harry and Ron. She and Ginny led mostly different lives. The three of them had gone through so much together, shared experiences that no one could come close to understanding, and she felt like she was a better person with them. She wanted all of that back, but she didn't know how to save their friendship if Ron wouldn't even try.

Truthfully, she was starting to get a bit angry at him. So he didn't want to marry her. That was no excuse for shutting her out completely. It felt like he was rejecting her for something she couldn't even control. She was deeply hurt that he would throw away six years of caring and protecting each other, six years of fighting a war together, six years of companionship and love, all because of a curse she was subjected to by a Death Eater.

Hermione had been in love with her best friend, Ron for a long time. She had been waiting for the day he would realize his feelings and admit he was in love with her, too. Before the war had really started gaining momentum, Hermione had made plans to seduce him if he hadn't admitted his feelings to her by the end of their seventh year. The plans relied heavily on her Gryffindor courage, restraining spells, and Honeyduke's melted chocolate.

Hermione would willingly abandon her dreams of a romantic life with Ron if she could just get their friendship back. She loved him too much not to have him in her life. They had been friends before she fell in love with him, and she would settle for remaining just friends if he would only talk to her. Having his friendship was better than having nothing at all.

She didn't feel comfortable sharing these thoughts with Ginny though the youngest Weasley had offered a sympathetic ear. There was a lot about her relationship with Ron she didn't want to share, and she and Ginny's lives hadn't seemed to coincide much until this summer either. Ginny was a friend, but Hermione's best friends and confidants would always be Ron and Harry.

To her surprise, she found herself confiding unwillingly in Fred and George one afternoon at the Burrow. Hermione had been trying to get through some more research that day despite the noise coming from Fred and George's old room.

Mrs. Weasley had convinced them to move back temporarily while their shop and the living quarters above it were being expanded to include the building next door. It had suffered heavy damage in the attack on Diagon Alley during the war and the owners hadn't wanted to rebuild. So Fred and George had bought the space then set about making repairs to it and knocking down walls.

The Weasley twins had been spending every spare moment holed up in their old room inventing new Wheezes. Much to Hermione's dismay, their room was right above Ginny's where she had retreated for privacy to get her reading done. She could hear every crash, boom and shout of dismay or success.

Hermione usually had an easier time of blocking out noisy distractions and getting the work at hand done. But today her thoughts kept drifting from the books in front of her. Hermione's mind wasn't the type to leave a puzzle unsolved. Instead she would pick at it, examine it from every angle, and break it down to its disparate pieces until she found some hint of how to solve it. Hermione's mind already had a puzzle. But instead of examining an extensive history of mermaids in the Mediterranean, unfortunately written in Greek, her mind kept wandering back to Ron and how to make him talk to her. It didn't help her efforts to focus that the Translation Charm she had found was far from perfect. It seemed as if every other sentence had her reaching for her Greek-to-English dictionary.

It was just Fred, George and Hermione at the Burrow that day and she wished they would be a little quieter. The constant racket going on upstairs was only hindering her efforts to concentrate. As the minutes slowly crept by that day with nothing to show for it, her bad mood had only grown worse with irritation. The sound of raised voices followed by the shattering of glass proved to be the last straw for nerves frayed by the frustration of the last week.

Hermione shot out of her chair, slamming her book shut and throwing her quill onto the desk in disgust. Her eyes narrowed and her hand clutched her wand in a death grip as she swept out of Ginny's room and up the stairs. They were going to be quiet if she had to gag and bind them to accomplish it. Still, hexes and jinxes ran through her mind and were discarded just as quickly. She would try being polite first.

The twins' voices carried easily down the stairs as she made her way up.

"It needs to explode."

"No, it doesn't."

"But, it's more fun this way."

"Stop! You're adding too much!"

As Hermione opened Fred and George's door and marched inside, she noticed too late that their arguing voices had shifted to panicked cries of shield spells and warnings to take cover. Hermione had only a second to utter, "Oh no," and shield her face with her arms before she took the brunt of the potion which erupted from Fred and George's cauldron like a geyser.

Hermione shrieked at the shock of the icy cold liquid. She had expected to be badly burned, not drenched with a freezing potion. As the thick, slimy potion dripped from her hair and oozed beneath her shirt to pool uncomfortably in her bra, she longed for the Time-Turner of her third year. This horrid day was definitely deserving of a do-over. A snort of disgust escaped her. In fact, why limit herself? Her day, her week, the last month entirely were wanting a nice change for the better.

Now that the danger of a potion mishap was over, the Weasley twins broke cover to survey the damage. Two heads with messy red hair popped up over the edge of the far side of one of the beds. Two pairs of eyes landed on Hermione and widened in surprise at seeing her there. As they took in the sight of a drenched Hermione they made their way around the bed to stand in front of her.

A flicker of concern raced across Fred's face until he saw that she was okay, merely sporting the majority of the cauldron's contents. He sighed in relief.

George also appeared slightly worried, but for a different reason once he too realized that she wasn't hurt. Hermione's tight grip on her wand suggested that he and Fred might soon be on the receiving end of a wicked hex.

As the seconds slipped by without any action on Hermione's part (she had decided to bide her time until she found out what exactly was in that potion) the normal curiosity of the twins' inventor's spirit took precedence.

"So…" George cocked his head to the side and gave Hermione an expectant look. The fun was just beginning.

"How are you feeling?" Fred asked, unable to refrain from teasing her. He stared at Hermione's exposed skin where some of the potion was beginning to be absorbed.

Hermione arched a brow as potion dripped down her face, luckily avoiding her eyes. "How do you **think** I'm feeling?"

"Oh angry —"

"— wet —"

"— vengeful."

"But other than that, are you noticing any possible effects of the potion?" Fred asked with a grin.

Hermione swiped a hand over her face and flicked the gathered potion at Fred. A thick glob spattered on his nose. His eyes crossed to stare at it before looking in disappointment at Hermione. George snickered. Fred sighed and accepted his twin's offered handkerchief to wipe his face.

Hermione glared at George until he sheepishly offered a shirt out of his clean laundry pile that hadn't yet been put away, for lack of something better to use. The shirt had miraculously escaped the explosion unscathed.

She rolled her eyes, but used it anyway to wipe off as much of the potion as possible that was now rapidly absorbing into her skin at an alarming rate. Even her hair was drying itself as the potion was absorbed into it. "And what effects might those be?"

"Well if you don't know I'm not about to tell you," Fred replied, looking pleased to be able to throw this answer back that he'd heard before from other witches." He absentmindedly scratched at a mild itch on his nose.

"Oh, for Pete's sake," Hermione muttered in disgust. She threw the now soiled shirt into their dirty clothes hamper.

George looked rather impressed with Fred's retort and was grinning widely.

"What was the potion?" Hermione demanded of George.

"Just a little something we noticed the Ministry needed. As soon as we've worked the kinks out, we'll make a deal for the recipe and a tidy profit as well," George answered. He took a small amount of glee in knowing his vague answer would only frustrate Hermione. It was just so much fun to wind her up. He could see why Ron argued with her so often. "Remodeling isn't cheap," he informed her.

"Incidentally, George," Fred interrupted. "Maybe you have a point and the potion doesn't need to be explosive."

"Gee, you think?" Hermione glared at Fred.

Fred was unbothered by Hermione's ill mood. "I do," he said, not wanting to make the itching on his nose worse. He knew he couldn't make it go away just yet. The opportunity the grouchy witch offered was too good to pass up. "Be honest, Hermione. You like us, don't you?"

"I do not," Hermione denied vehemently. She scratched absentmindedly at an itchy spot on her right wrist.

Fred and George observed this action with avid eyes.

"Don't be shy, Miss Granger. You think we're brilliant, don't you?" George pressed.

"Don't be ridiculous." The itch intensified and she tried unsuccessfully to scratch it and another itchy spot on her neck at the same time.

At this, Fred and George shared a triumphant grin.

"Why don't you tell us why you and Ron aren't talking?"

"That is none of your business!" Hermione began to scratch frantically at her skin. The itching she felt wasn't stopping. In fact, it was getting worse and spreading. Hermione began to feel itchy all over. "Why am I itching?" She asked suspiciously. "How do I make it stop?"

"I'm surprised, Hermione. I thought a smart witch like you would have figured it out by now." Fred shook his head in mock disappointment then surreptitiously tried to scratch his nose which felt a bit itchier.

"The potion is our alternative to the Veritaserum," George hastily answered Hermione. If looks could kill Fred would already be dead and he would be next. "We know from Kingsley that there are a number of people they're having difficulty questioning at the Ministry. The Veritaserum is ineffective on too many Death Eaters. Without our alternative to prove them guilty, some of them may end up free from Azkaban."

"We've created a potion with an incentive to answer questions honestly and promptly."

"Once it's ingested or absorbed into your skin, the more lies you tell —"

"— and the longer you take doing it —"

"— the more you itch."

"Until you get the antidote anyway."

"Well, give me the antidote!" Hermione couldn't stop scratching. .

"I don't think we should — yet," George said and smirked.

An identical smirk appeared on Fred's face. "Why, this is a golden opportunity."

In unison the Weasley twins said, "We'd be fools not to take advantage of it."

And that was how she ended up confiding in Fred and George.

"So, maybe Ron and I just weren't meant to be," Hermione finished some time later. The itching hadn't got any worse since Hermione accepted that she wouldn't be getting her hands on the antidote without answering their questions. But the itching hadn't stopped either. She was covered head to toe with welts from scratching.

George snorted and Fred declared, "You're being ridiculous."

"You _do_ say some rather stupid things on occasion for all that you're the smartest witch we know," George agreed as he passed over the antidote to Fred and Hermione.

"Hey!" She was momentarily tempted to blast them both where they stood, if only they hadn't taken her wand when she had tried to get the antidote away from them by force. Her temper had made her careless and the two of them had managed to disarm her easily.

"Luckily, you have us," Fred assured her, unworried by the way even Hermione's hair fairly bristled with her irritation.

As the antidote took effect, the itching stopped and the welts faded. Hermione sighed with relief.

George matched his brother's smug grin. "We can get you the chance to talk to Ron, no interruptions —" George promised earnestly.

" — no evasions," Fred picked up. "He'll never know what hit him," he said with a confident smile and a chuckle.

"But the rest —" George warned.

"— is up to you," Fred finished and reluctantly returned Hermione's wand.

"How are you going to manage that?" Hermione asked curiously as she tucked away her wand.

"Hey now," Fred reproved Hermione with a mock look of insulted feelings on his face.

"Do you really doubt our powers?" George asked in disbelief and mirrored his brother's false affronted expression.

Considering some of the things they had pulled off in the past, she was forced to concede this would probably be all too easy a task for the twins.

"I guess not," Hermione answered. "All right. You just let me know when and where."

"Of course," the twins echoed each other. Seeing their faces light up with wicked glee Hermione felt both a little like she had just made a deal with the devil, or two devils actually, and a whole lot sorry for Ron.

Well almost. He had been avoiding her after all.

"Why would you do this for me?"

"Why Hermione you're practically family already, the lack of a wedding ring is only a technicality," Fred replied as he draped an arm over her shoulder. "And families stick together don't they, Forge?"

George rested his arm on Hermione's other shoulder so that she was held in their embrace. It made her a little nostalgic for the times Harry and Ron had done the same thing and she slipped her arms around Fred and George's waists taking comfort from their presence. "They sure do, Gred," George answered his brother before directing his next comment at the petite brunette standing between them. "Besides; we might need your help someday, Hermione. You'll remember our efforts kindly then, won't you?"

Hermione snickered. "I'll probably regret this, but I will. When you need my help, just let me know, and I'll do my best — if I agree with your request. I believe limits exist for a reason," she added in a firm voice.

"That they do," George nodded sagely.

"How else will we know when we exceed them?" Fred asked with a wicked leer on his face as he wiggled his eyebrows.

Hermione's uncompromising expression disappeared as she surrendered to the giggles.

Over her head, the twins shared nods of satisfaction. Ginny would be pleased with their report. Operation: Cheer Hermione was a resounding success.

**End Part 5**

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